Source: Island Record Office, Registrar General’s Department, Spanish Town, Jamaica, Wills Liber 23, folio 79, will of George Bennett, 1 June 1693.
The Last Will of George Bennett 1693
In the Name of God Amen, I George Bennett of the parish of Saint Thomas in the island aforesaid, planter being sick and weak in body but of sound and perfect memory thanks be given onto Almighty God for the same and knowing that all flesh is frail and that we all must die and the time when being uncertain doth make this my last will and testament in manner and form following viz. that is to say first and principally I commit my soul into the hands of Almighty God who gave it to me believing that I shall have full and free pardon of all my sins through and by that precious blood of my Blessed Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ my body I commit to the earth to be buried in as Christian like manner as my executors hereafter named shall think most convenient, and as touching such worldly substances as ye Lord in his mercy hath been pleased to bestow upon me farr above my deserts I give & bequeath in manner and form following that is to say first & foremost my will & desire is that my funeral expenses shall be fully & duly defrayd and paid out of my personal & real estate within a convenient time after my decease by my Executor hereafter named.
Secondly that all such debts whatsoever I do justly & truly owe unto any person or persons whatsoever shall be duly and truly paid by my Executor hereafter named within convenient time after my deceased Item: I give & bequeath unto my well beloved children George William John Elizabeth Mary Hesther Sarah Rachell fifty pounds each child to be paid to them and either of them their or either of their heirs Executor adminr & assigns after my decease when they shall arrive at age or day of marriage by my Executor hereafter named & if any of my children shall happen to dye before they arrive at age or marriage then him them her or their aforesd Legacy to be divided equally amongst those my surviving children for their use as aforesaid And I do make this promise if my Eldest son is not obedient or advised by my Executors hereafter named then I do allot & allow him my said son by name George Bennett only Ten pounds per annum during his natural life & if he will be so well advised by my Executor hereafter named then my will & desire is that all the lands that properly belong to me the testator shall be divided equally after my decease to my three sons to say Joseph Wm & John equally each like proportion but if my said son George is obstinate & not willing to be well advised by my sd Executor affor named then the said Tenn pounds yearly during natural life shall be his full portion & bequest of land appertaining unto me Shall be equally divided between my said children namely William & John after my decease & if my said sons happen to dye without Issue then the said land is to pass & return to my daughter or ye survivor or survivors of her.
I do hereby nominate constitute appoint ordain my well beloved friends Capt Robt Bowman of ye Parish of St Thos, Thomas Tisdall of ye Parish of St Davids Planters to be my Executors in trust of this my last will & testament to see that same duly and truly performed according to ye true tenure purpose & honest meaning hereof as also kindly I desire ye said Execrs to be Guardians to my said children after my decease until such time they arrive at age or marriage as aforesd & also I do by these presents farther will and bequeath an equal dividend of all my whole Estate both real & personal that shall happen to be above fifty pounds before bequeathed unto my well beloved children aforesaid and do by virtue of these presents make null and void and wholly disallow all former wills or wills testament or testaments by me at any time heretofore made and none other to stand in force but this present Instrument after my decease In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this first day of June in ye fifth year of their Majesties Reigns Anno Dni 1693.
George Bennett
Signed sealed published and
declared this Instrument to be his last
will & testament in ye presence of
Samuell Mellons
James Tompson
Theophilus Turford